Chemical Analysis of Elf Bar E-liquids and their Effect on Arabidopsis Thaliana
Location
Room 232, Schewel Hall
Access Type
Open Access
Entry Number
87
Start Date
4-5-2023 11:30 AM
End Date
4-5-2023 11:45 AM
College
Lynchburg College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Chemistry
Keywords
HPLC, GC/MS, E-cigarettes, E-liquid, Arabidopsis Thaliana, Toxic Aldehydes, Chemical Analysis, Plant Phenotype
Abstract
Since the early 2000s, the popularity and use of e-cigarettes have exponentially increased. Part of this increase is due to the marketing, which makes mainstream cigarettes seem more dangerous and addictive than e-cigarettes. Popularity increase is also attributed to the various types and flavors of e-cigarettes and vapes. As the use of these has increased, so has the waste produced. As of 2018, approximately 58,000,000 e-cigarettes and vapes have been sold within the United States; 19.7 million were single-use. These are often thrown away or littered, posing a threat to the environment with endocrine-disrupting plastic, circuiting, and residue of the various e-liquids within these devices. Some of the e-liquid waste and pollution, especially that from unused e-cigarettes or vapes, is toxic enough to be considered hazardous waste, and many of the e-liquids within vapes and e-cigarettes have various flavorants that pose health risks to humans through the production of toxic aldehydes and volatile organic compounds which impact the respiratory system. Due to this impact on humans and the environment, we aim to study the effects of e-liquid waste on the phenotypic traits of the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana, which is also a common roadside weed and therefore is exposed to e-liquid pollution. We will evaluate whether the e-liquid flavorants will have differing effects on plant phenotypes and determine the effect of these liquids on the environment around them when they are discarded or littered. GC/MS, NMR, and HPLC will be used to chemically analyze various flavors of Elf bars. Next, varying dilutions will be introduced to Arabidopsis thaliana plants, and phenotypic changes will be monitored. The data will help elucidate how e-cigarette pollution impacts the environment and can help influence policies surrounding chemical components within e-liquids and disposal policies for these devices.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Erin Friedman Dr. David Hobart Dr. Price Blair
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Chemical Analysis of Elf Bar E-liquids and their Effect on Arabidopsis Thaliana
Room 232, Schewel Hall
Since the early 2000s, the popularity and use of e-cigarettes have exponentially increased. Part of this increase is due to the marketing, which makes mainstream cigarettes seem more dangerous and addictive than e-cigarettes. Popularity increase is also attributed to the various types and flavors of e-cigarettes and vapes. As the use of these has increased, so has the waste produced. As of 2018, approximately 58,000,000 e-cigarettes and vapes have been sold within the United States; 19.7 million were single-use. These are often thrown away or littered, posing a threat to the environment with endocrine-disrupting plastic, circuiting, and residue of the various e-liquids within these devices. Some of the e-liquid waste and pollution, especially that from unused e-cigarettes or vapes, is toxic enough to be considered hazardous waste, and many of the e-liquids within vapes and e-cigarettes have various flavorants that pose health risks to humans through the production of toxic aldehydes and volatile organic compounds which impact the respiratory system. Due to this impact on humans and the environment, we aim to study the effects of e-liquid waste on the phenotypic traits of the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana, which is also a common roadside weed and therefore is exposed to e-liquid pollution. We will evaluate whether the e-liquid flavorants will have differing effects on plant phenotypes and determine the effect of these liquids on the environment around them when they are discarded or littered. GC/MS, NMR, and HPLC will be used to chemically analyze various flavors of Elf bars. Next, varying dilutions will be introduced to Arabidopsis thaliana plants, and phenotypic changes will be monitored. The data will help elucidate how e-cigarette pollution impacts the environment and can help influence policies surrounding chemical components within e-liquids and disposal policies for these devices.